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18
LETTER FROM WESTMINSTER

The minimum wage and what it means

1 April was a historic day for Britain with the introduction of our first ever national minimum wage writes Julia Drown, MP for Swindon South.
Nearly two million low paid compete unfairly with responsible April represents a gain of up to Other budget measures include
workers will benefit by an average companies. A better rewarded and £150 for low earners, halving the a fivefold increase in the winter
of thirty per cent - including 1.4 more committed workforce will tax bill for nearly two million peo- fuel allowance for pensioners to
million women and 1.3 million help to drive up standards and to ple across the country. In addi- £100, benefiting 13,470 pensioners
part-time workers. promote competitiveness. I look tion, some 13,300 families in South in South Swindon, and an imme-
The minimum wage will help to forward to a reduction in the dis- Swindon will benefit from the rise diate allocation of additional funds
ensure that work pays, and will parity in incomes that has grown in child benefit to £15 a week for for books for every school.
underpin the Government's wel- over the past 20 years. the oldest child. I continue to receive letters from
fare reforms, which are aimed at March's budget included a raft Also announced was the new constituents who are concerned
eliminating work disincentives in of measures designed to benefit Minimum Income Guarantee for about the future of the Front Gar-
the benefits system. low earners, children and pension- pensioners, paid through Income den. Because of the many complex
Unscrupulous employers will no ers. The introduction of a new IOp Support, will be £75 for single pen- issues involved in Swindon Coun-
longer be able to use low pay to starting rate of income tax from 8 sioners and £116.60 for couples. cil's proposal to develop this land
and concerns raised by local resi-
dents, I called for it to be publicly
Standards Minister sees Shakespeare at work examined independently. I was
pleased that the council agreed to
this so that all relevant factors can
be assessed in public, and the best
Sunwisp £35 solution found for the town.
I continue to encourage a debate
Black, tan, navy, taupe
on the alternative of building more
or white leather homes at higher density on cur-
rently allocated and brownfield
Removable
sites. In respect of this, I warmly
T-bar ° o
welcome the Government's new
feature
draft planning guidance, which
states that local authorities should
BLAYLOCKS set minimum densities for all new
Bath Road Corner developments, and advises that
low-density development should
Old Town be avoided.
Tel: 534271 At Westminster, I was able to
ask a question on Third World debt
during Prime Minister's Question
Julia Drown MP brought Charles
Clarke MP, minister for educa- Time. I highlighted the plight of
STOP! School on 22 April to learn more nation's economies can be lifted. I
millions of children in Africa,
tion standards to Greendown
whose lives will be lost unless the
debt burden that is crippling their
about this winter's West Swin-
don Shakespeare Festival.
called on the Government to can-
Children from Westlea primary
cel outright the debts of the coun-
and Green down performed scenes
from The Tempest, the play they
The Prime Minister responded
each put on in December. They tries committed to tackling poverty.
LOOK and LISTEN before you commit yourself to any also answered questions about by reiterating the Chancellor's re-
cent announcement of the millen-
major home improvement. New windows, doors and how difficult it had been to memo- nium target for debt relief of £50
rise the lines and what they had
especially a new conservatory learnt from the play. billion to the world's poorest coun-
can transform your home... 4 G, Festival coordinator Greendown tries by the end of 2000. He also
T
but it's worth using this f' HEC KLIS=^' School teacher Tim Noble told the pledged the Government would
lead the campaign internationally
si m le checklist: . Q C minister that nearly 700 children to cancel as much debt as possible.
p
HO/[E. Are they oh
`ering a good had been involved in the project
/ock h of designs and various Recently, I was delighted to at-
a . ^' which he believes could be a model
:;^ i ate; a _ 9 options? tend the Swindon Young Musi-
REPUT for teaching Shakespeare nation- cians Gala Concert at the Link Cen-
L AT/ON.• Ls it a wel/known wide. tre. This thoroughly enjoyable
OCAL firm, well established,
with a re The West Swindon Shakespeare evening celebrated the high stand-
putation to protect?
Festival is planning a millennium ard of musical talent of Swindon's
spectacular so that 1,000 children
U young people. It was also a tribute
q , Q AL/TY Are the pr oducts they can be involved with every year 6 to the commitment of their teach-
mstallsupp/ied by a major
national manu class in the area performing short ers and of those who give up so
facturer like versions of all of Shakespeare's
Coastal? much of their time to run orches-
plays. tras and bands out of school hours.
y
0 GUAR A/ rEE . /s my in vestment The English Shakespeare Com-
Properly protected? Finally, I was also pleased to
pany and the Buttonhold Theatre take part in the Get Swindon Read-
Company have been booked to ing day on 23 April and thoroughly
work in primary schools fora term, enjoyed reading to children at
but the cost of £50 per pupil has Lainsmead School.
$ERMIN WINDOW still to be met through sponsor- To get in touch with me, please
ship. To find out more, call Mr write to 39 Victoria Road, Swin-
idi Telephone 824419 Noble on 01793 874224. don SN1 3AT, or contact my office
• The Tempest atTregoze: seepage by ordinary 'phone or textphone
A supplier and installer of /- Windows, doors and conservalodes
35. on 615444.